On 1st November 2009 I am running in the New York City Marathon to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis in memory of my friend Gavin Fallon who died 3 years ago.
 
Cystic Fibrosis is the UK's most common life-threatening inherited disease, affecting over 8,000 people in the UK. It affects the internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, by clogging them with thick sticky mucus. This makes it hard to breathe and digest food.
 
Each week five babies are born with CF & each week three young lives are lost.
 
There is currently no cure!
 
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust funds research to find an effective treatment for CF through gene therapy and its believed that this is going to be the nearest thing to a cure in the foreseeable future.
 
Other research is aimed at a pharmacological (drug based) approach to treating Cystic Fibrosis and CF invest in projects aimed at alleviating the symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis.

Through research, better understanding and treatment of Cystic Fibrosis, life expectancy is increasing. When the CF Trust was founded in 1964, a child was lucky to live over five years. Around half of those with CF today can expect to live over 35 years - not good enough, but getting better.

Please take a few moments to help me help others.

Lara x